Extensible ruler



UNITED 'STATES "PATENT Ormea.

CHARLES EDXVIN JEVELL AND MAJOR ROMEYN JEVELL, OF SENECA FALLS, NEVYORK.

EXTENSIBLE RULER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,277, dated July 7,1896.

Application filed April 13, 1895. Serial No. 545,567. (No model.)

-To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES EDWIN JEWELL and MAJOR RoMnYN JEWELL,citizens of the United States, and residents of Seneca Falls, county ofSeneca, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Extensible Rulers, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

This invention relates to rulers or measuring-sticks, and the objectthereof is to provide a scaled ruler having an adjustable slidingportion, the construction and arrangement being such that While thesliding part is not scaled it still enables us to measure any distanceup to twice the length of the ruler proper,l which advantages, togetherwith others, we'secure by means of the construction described in thefollowing specification, in which- Figure l represents our improvedruler with the slide partially extended; Fig. 2, a

.transverse section on the line a; w of Fig. l,

and Fig. 3 a similar section on the line y y of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the body of theruler, made of wood, rubber, or other material, and provided with abeveled edge 8, on which is placed a scale, which is divided into inchesand fractions thereof, the inches being numbered,pref erably, from l to15, and preferably from left to right, as shown. The side or edge liskerfed or slotted longitudinally the full length of the body-piece, asshown at 5, and in this slot is secured a metal strap or plate 6,preferably of brassor similar material, forming a metal straight-edgewhich is not liable to become injured in ordinary use.

The body of the ruler is kerfed or slotted longitudinally on both the'top and bottom sides thereof, as shown at 7, Fig. 3, a short distancefrom the back, preferably about one-quarter of the width of the ruler,and between one of said slots 7 and the back of the ruler is anotherscale, divided into inches and fractions thereof, the inches in thiscase being numbered from 15 to 30, and

preferably from left to right, as in the iirst instance.

Within the kerfs or slots 7 are placed the edges 8, as shown in Fig. 2,of asubstantially tubular metal back piece or slide 9, formed of sheetmetal, and having a slight spring action by which it is held, throughfriction with the body-piece and kerfs or slots 7, in such manner as toadapt it to be slid back and forth 6o thereon and adj usted to anydesired position, by applying slight force, but will not move withoutthe application thereof.

The back or slide 9 not only serves as a handle or head-piece by whichto manipulate the ruler, but also as a straight-edge for guiding the penin ruling, or other work, and as a protector for the scale on the upperside of the rule. In our device, however, this is not the chief purposeof the back 9. The ruler being 7o scaled as shown and described, it isapparent that We can measure any length or distance from one to thirtyinches, in the use of a iifteen-inch rule, by simply sliding the back tothe right and iixing or adjusting it in the required position, when thedistance measured can be determined by the last number exposed by theback or slide on the scale which it covers, an example of which is shownin Fig. l, the distance between the points 10 and 8o 1l beingtWenty-twoinches, that being the number exposed at the inner end of the slide.

It is evident that we may employ a ruler of any desired length andscaleand operate the same in a similar manner, and that instead of 8 5placing the covered scale on the top side of the ruler it may be placedon the back, and that other changes or modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention. 9o

It will thus be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by adevice simple in construction and operation and comparativelyinexpensive. The parts of our improved ruler can be easily put together,and 5 the device can be used as a neat and attractive ruler of thelength of the body portion thereof, or so manipulated as to correctlymeasure twice said length.

Having fully described our invention, we roo claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

the following:

l. As a new article of manufacture, an extensible ruler composed of. thebody portion and a delineated scale upon the front and back edge and thetop of the same, a tubular section surrounding said back and inclosingthe scale, said section being inserted Within` the body of the ruler,and adapted to slide longitudinally thereon to normally conceal saidedge and scale, and partially uncovering the same, substantially asdescribed.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an extensible ruler composed of themain or body portion provided with a scale graduation and` longitudinalslots in the upper and lower faces on the back of the ruler, and atubular metallic section inclosing the back portion of the ruler andengaging said slots, substanadjustable on the body portion,substantially as shown and described.

et. A ruler or measuring-stick, consisting of a body portion having afront beveled edge and a scale thereon, also a second scale on top andat or near the rear edge thereof, the numerals of which increase indenomination in the same direction as those on the front scale, andbeginning where the front scale ends, saidibody portion being alsoprovided on the top and bottom sides thereof with `longitudinal kerfs orslots, and a back piece or slide substantially tubular in form andprovided with edges adapted to enter said kerfs or slots and slidetherein, the arrange ment being such that the back or slide incloses thetop. scale and is longitudinally adjustable on the body portion,substantially as shown and described.

f In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our invention We havesigned. our names, in presence of two Witnesses, this 16thv day ofMarch, 1895.

CHARLES. EDWIN JEWELL. MAJOR RGMEYN JElVELL.

lVitnesses:

C. A. GANoUNG, JENNIE ELLA J EWELL.

